11/03 Heading South

I’m moving to Texas. This weekend. My friends have mixed feelings about this and my family aren’t too pleased either, but my mind’s made up. It wouldn’t have been my first choice of places to live, but that’s where NASA and the Hermes project is based. I’ve already sent them a message telling them I’m coming and that I intend to work there.

They haven’t responded yet, but I’ve already got a few repair jobs that’ll earn me some Arpies and keep me afloat until they do. I’m serious about this. I’m also terrified because I’ve never made a leap like this before in my life. I should be getting the stuff I want to sell posted, instead of journaling. I want to sell as much as possible so I have enough Arpies for first month’s rent of a cheap apartment. Everything I’m keeping is already packed.

I’ve listed almost everything for sale. What I’ve saved so far isn’t enough to cover the places I’ve been looking. The car’s ready and raring to go, she tells me that she’ll need an oil change to get all the way to Houston, Texas. I’ve never been there before. My sole impression of Texas is the way they’re portrayed in N•Vels, which probably has a lot to do with their recent history. They were the first state to secede from the old United States, and also the first to suggest reunification. Since then they’ve been the punchline of many jokes. In fact taking back an ex is called a ‘Texas romance’ or ‘dating a Texan’ where I’m from.

I’m sure that the average Texan is nothing too unusual. Besides Nasa recruits people from all over the Reunited States. As I said earlier, this is a big step though. The biggest move I’ve ever made. I’m not even sure there’s any chance of actually getting to be a part of the Hermes project. My plan is to be there and keeping asking until they give me a chance, or until I lose interest in trying.

That would be pretty disappointing actually. To go all that way, get nowhere, and basically end up doing exactly what I’m doing now. Except 100s of kms from my friends and family. I’m going to have to keep trying, keep pushing, just so it was worth giving up everything for. Hermes or bust.

I should be getting back to organising the sale. My stuff won’t just sell itself. The downside of N•Viron is that we’re all so busy, so distracted, that if you want people to know what you’re doing you really need to grab their attention. Which is no easy task. You have to be much more interesting than the game they’re playing or the chat they’re already having.

No-one is going to part with their hard won Arpies unless you make your offering really special. It helps if you use dramatic angles to show off the items for sale, but what really works well is each item has it’s own story. It has to be the right kind of story though, and it won’t appeal to everyone. So what I’ll have to do now is create a few different versions for different people.

You can’t put too many out there or people start to realise that you’ve tweaked and republished the same content multiple times, and just block any further notifications. I’m going to go for a bulk sale everything-must-go style article. One version with the sob-story, another with a bold adventure approach, and the third in the go-for-broke entrepreneur style.

Once I’ve got their attention, I just need to reel them in, close the sale and encourage referrals. Which won’t be an easy task either. I can’t keep putting it off though, or it will never get done, my stuff won’t sell, and I won’t be going anywhere.